Health Secretary Andy Burnham is urging the nation to stop eating meat in a bid to save the planet.

Speaking at the launch of a new report on how rising temperatures will affect the public, Mr Burnham said eating a more vegetarian diet would cut the impact of livestock on the climate – as well as improve health by lowering the amount of saturated fat consumed.

The Health Secretary is supporting calls for a 30 per cent reduction in the number of farm animals bred for meat.

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The move is sure to trigger accusations of ‘gesture politics’ and is also unlikely to receive a warm welcome from Britain’s beleaguered farming industry.

Mr Burnham’s comments came as scientists at the Climatic Research Unit in East Anglia faced calls to resign in wake of allegations they had suppressed data.